Northrop Grumman Flies New Software, Hardware on Global Hawk

Northrop Grumman flew a RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft for the first time using open architecture-based command and control software and hardware developed by the company, moving the company one step closer to offering its common Mission Management Control System (MMCS) product, which can be implemented across various unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to improve mission effectiveness and reduce training requirements, the company said Thursday.

The flight demonstration was conducted last December, and was sponsored by the U.S. Air Force's Global Hawk Program Office as part of the Ground Station Technical Refresh contract.

The MMCS used for the demonstration was comprised of hardware and software developed by the company's Common Mission Management System (CMMS) product center. The MMCS is based upon an open, nonproprietary, standards-based, scalable, common architecture and service descriptions.

"The CMMS product center is a game changer. It is a new way of thinking about unmanned aircraft systems and their mission management and control architectures," said Mike Leahy, director of CMMS for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The CMMS approach offers multiple benefits, including savings in both acquisition, and operational and maintenance costs. This approach eliminates stove-piped systems and simplifies training requirements."

During the flight demonstration, a Global Hawk took off under operator control through the U.S. Air Force Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Once airborne, aircraft control was successfully transferred to the MMCS located at the Global Hawk Systems Integration Laboratory in San Diego. The aircraft was then flown through a series of maneuvers until control was transferred back to the LRE for landing.